‘You need a second opinion. Which is why I think it’d be a good idea to haul him over the Coles.’

‘No. No way, I don’t want to scare him off completely.’

Laura’s eyes glitter with excited steeliness. ‘Gems, I worry about you. You’re hormonal. Grieving. Easy prey for someone who could take advantage. So it’s maybe a good idea to get a second opinion, right? We’re meeting for Charlotte’s birthday on Saturday anyway, so why not ask him along? Bring the daughter too.’

Casey did have a day at the seaside on her wish list. And I suppose Laura’s right: if this was no more than a fling, it wouldn’t matter what my family thought.

But this feels like more.

‘Let me think about it—’

‘Mummy! The doggy is doing a stinky poo!’

We both look up. Felix is giggling delightedly as he watches poor Bear at the far end of the garden, trying to find some privacy.

I stand up, hand already in my pocket, getting out a poo bag.

‘You know it makes sense, Gems,’ my sister says, averting her eyes from Bear’s squat. ‘It’s the fastest possible way to find out if he’s a keeper.’

Chapter 27: Dan

Thursday 19 July

It’s hard work getting Casey to hospital this morning. She’s dreamy and keeps asking about Harrison. And I’m grumpier with her than I should be, because I keep thinking about Gemma.

Have I messed it up again somehow? At least walking into the deafening workshop forces me to get my head out of my arse and focus on real life.

‘Boss, we missed you yesterday!’

‘Oi, Mr Lennon, were you bunking off?’

‘You got a new girlfriend, sir? You look like you been up all night.’

I walk in between the benches, chatting and checking in, because I’m in no hurry to face today’s biggest challenge.

‘Are you ready for him?’ Sue, our education officer, asks when I go into the office. ‘I’m worried he might leg it – or break something – if he has to wait much longer.’

‘OK. Bad cop or good cop?’

Sue shrugs her skinny shoulders. ‘Search me. He’s not in a good place.’

Finn Mackenzie takes up a lot of physical space in my small office, and his dark mood makes the room seem even more claustrophobic.

‘Take a seat, Finn.’

I half expect him to pick up the chair and throw it at the wall – wouldn’t be the first time that’s happened – but he nods without making eye contact with me. As he sits down, the chair metal groans. I don’t have the heart to be bad cop today.

‘How are things going?’

‘You know already.’

Finn arrived drunk and stinking of weed yesterday and almost punched one of the other lads, before taking off again. ‘Tell me your side of the story.’

He scoffs. ‘If you’re gonna boot me off, get on with it, OK?’

‘I don’t want to kick you out without understanding what’s happening. Here, I’ve got your reports for June – everything was brilliant. So what’s changed?’